OUT OF THIS WORLD : Soviets Rocket 2 Monkeys Into Orbit

MOSCOW —  The Soviet Union today launched two monkeys into orbit to enable scientists to study the effects of zero gravity and space radiation on living beings, Tass reported.

The monkeys’ space capsule home, which will be returned to Earth after orbiting for two weeks, was launched by a Soyuz booster rocket, the official press agency said.

In October, 1987, the Soviet Union carried out space experiments with two monkeys who quickly captured the public imagination with their antics aboard the spacecraft, beamed back to Earth by television cameras.

One of the monkeys, named Yerosha, broke free and appeared to viewers with a free left front paw and without his name tag on his helmet. The mission was almost aborted when scientists learned he had blocked his food tube.